Kissimmee mayor defends city attorney termination citing 'overstated' budget; residents and former colleagues dispute framing

Mayor Jackie Espinosa addressed the commission Feb. 17 to explain her vote to terminate the city attorney, saying the decision was based on "more than a year of observation, growing frustration and disappointment regarding the department's work product, communication and overall operation management." The mayor told the dais she had reviewed budget figures with the city manager and finance director after the termination and described the legal department budget as "overstated" by specific sums.

Multiple public commenters who spoke during the meeting disputed that portrayal and questioned the process. Alex Delaney (self‑introduced at the meeting) said the $6.2 million figure presented previously was misleading and represented money sitting in the general fund rather than money that had been spent; he argued parts of the total predated the city attorney’s tenure. Alberto Sanchez de Fuentes, who identified himself as the brother of the former city attorney, said the headline figures omitted context and cautioned against defining a surplus as misconduct.

Lillian Evans and Olga Garinho raised concerns about Jeremy Fetzer's role in city appointments and campaign activity and said they intended to file formal ethics complaints; both urged transparency before assigning someone to the Toho/Tahoe board. Jeremy Fetzer, who spoke later, said investigations had been unfounded and defended his service on the Toho board and his interpretation of the budget figures, which he described as padding through annual carry forwards.

The commission appointed Deputy City Attorney Kalanit Oded as interim city attorney unanimously and directed staff to procure an external search firm to manage a national recruitment; staff presented a draft job description that includes a preference for 10 years' municipal experience and board certification in local government law. Commissioners asked that the search firm process limit commissioner involvement in early selection rounds and that finalists be presented for the commission's review.

Commissioners and the mayor also discussed Sunshine Law limits on premeeting coordination; some commissioners said they had not been briefed prior to the prior‑meeting action and requested clearer process and notice for any future employment actions affecting senior staff. The mayor offered to make certain records public through the city clerk's office and said she would provide the commission the documents she cited via public‑records procedures.